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Yeah, Tissy, I can totally relate to the family/friends not understanding...I think that is why i went so long without getting diagnosed....I would have a few really bad flare-ups, but the rest of the time I "appeared" normal. So it was hard to convince myself that I did indeed have this condition. But you're right, when you are in the middle of a flare-up, there's no mistaking that something is SO NOT normal!

Now along the lines of cycling between flare-ups...I was just today diagnosed with a mild case of bipolar disorder (add that to my steadily increasing list of medical conditions :P). And I realized that my fibro is itself bipolar, in that the pain cycles in and out (sometimes for months, sometimes just pops up to say 'hello' whenever it goshdarn feels like it)...and I think that my polarity of moods seems to correlate pretty well with it. I.e....when i'm really hyper and active (manic), then i seem to be in less pain (or is it because when I dont have any pain, I tend to be hyper???)

I've found several websites suggesting a link between bipolar and fibro, but nothing really conclusive (other than the fact that the two seem to show up together alot in practice!).

Interesting, huh? My body has become a weird science experiment now. I'm starting on a mood stabilizer now (lamictal)...have to take that before i can take an SSRI for the fibro, to avoid any crazy mood cycles.

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